Associate Director, Planning

About This Opportunity

We are representing a confidential global media agency in their search for an Associate Director, Planning to join their London team. This role offers the opportunity to lead communications planning for a major UK travel brand, managing over £20m in annual multi-channel media spend. You'll be responsible for shaping innovative media strategies across brand and performance channels, working within a collaborative international network.

The position focuses primarily (65%) on a flagship travel client account, with additional work on other brands and potential new business opportunities. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Communications Planning Director or an ambitious Communications Planning Manager ready for the next step in their career.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day communications planning and campaign execution across offline media channels for a major travel brand
• Develop and present best-in-class planning responses to briefs, ensuring strategic rigor and creative innovation
• Manage account workflow, governance, and ways of working with support from senior leadership
• Present work and strategic recommendations to clients, external agency partners, and internal stakeholders
• Own key relationships with brand leads, agency partners, and media owners
• Oversee media activation implementation and delivery, managing workflow through activation teams
• Supervise campaign reporting and evaluation, ensuring insights are clear and actionable
• Manage financial aspects of the account including billings, reconciliations, and accruals
• Proactively identify and resolve planning issues with team leadership
• Lead media landscape updates, trends analysis, research, and media owner briefings
• Build deep understanding of the client's industry vertical, competitive landscape, and business challenges
• Support integrated ways of working across media and creative disciplines
• Coach, support, and develop junior planning team members through regular one-to-ones
• Raise the profile of the account within the agency through case studies and thought leadership

What We're Looking For

• Significant and relevant media planning experience at senior level
• Advanced knowledge of traditional and digital media planning and execution
• Thorough understanding of both brand-building and performance media channels
• Proven track record of delivering strong communications planning outputs with measurement at the forefront
• Experience running all aspects of media plans from initial brief through to post-campaign analysis
• Strong client management skills with the gravitas to manage both junior and senior stakeholders
• Excellent presentation skills in both content creation and delivery
• In-depth knowledge and application of core media planning tools
• Self-starter who demonstrates curiosity and thrives in fast-paced environments
• High attention to detail with a drive to maintain excellent output standards
• Strong listener able to collaborate effectively across diverse teams
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams and projects simultaneously
• Exceptional communication and organizational skills
• Someone who champions and challenges themselves, their team, and their clients

How We Work With You

Candidates apply directly through Get A Job.ai. Our talent team will review your application and conduct an initial screening to understand your experience and career goals. Qualified candidates will be submitted to our client for consideration. Please do not contact the client directly, as all communication must flow through Get A Job.ai to ensure a professional and coordinated recruitment process.

Pay

Compensation details will be discussed during the screening process based on your experience level and the client's budget parameters.

Equal Opportunity

Get A Job.ai is committed to equal opportunity employment. We evaluate all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.